Amiel Kornel

Founding Partner

Venture Craft Studio

Consulting & B2B services

Climate Tech

Growth & Investment

About Me

An experienced entrepreneur, venture capitalist, board director, and management consultant, I help startups and scaleups in the US and Europe achieve sustainable growth. I describe my Venture Craft approach in Spinning Into Control: Improvising the sustainable startup (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018) and Naviguer à Vue: La Startup Improvisée (Presses des Mines, 2021). I also have helped Global 1000 firms such as Alcatel, BT, Coca-Cola, Daimler, La Fnac, Lilly, Reed Elsevier and Sony, among others, to realise more resilient innovation, corporate development, and M&A strategies. I enjoy teaming with driven, resourceful people to create products, services and businesses of enduring value. Hands-on, persistent and positive define my style. And I teach Entrepreneurial Finance at the ESCP Business School in Paris.

Hear My Insights

Governance for Growth: The Key to Sustainable Startup Success?

Privately funded ventures, particularly early-stage startups and family businesses, often neglect to focus on building robust corporate governance.  And even VC-funded scaleups often look to their Board of Directors for little more than auditing financials and ensuring compliance with legal obligations. Today’s troubled economic climate, diminished trust in institutions, and concerns about data privacy demand that these companies view governance as an engine of sustainable growth. In an era marked by funding volatility and heightened expectations for accountability, neglecting investor relationship management and transparency can severely hinder a startup's long-term viability. This session delves into how effective governance frameworks are no longer a "nice-to-have" but a critical necessity for attracting investment, navigating potential downturns, and fostering the trust of customers and talent. Our panel of three experts will explore practical strategies for building governance structures that help companies survive and thrive.

Unicorn Hunting: Unveiling What Makes Startup Value Soar

Amid sky-high valuations making the headlines, it's crucial to uncover what truly propels a company's value to soar. Factors like genuine growth potential, innovative revenue models, and a clear pathway to profitability can set a startup apart in a saturated market. What convinces investors to stake millions on unprofitable ventures? How can entrepreneurs build sustainable models that not only draw investment but also deliver real value? And as valuations fluctuate, how can we discern between true innovation and fleeting hype?